News Release

Actually, the Ship Was Not Turkish-Flagged

June 7, 2010

JOHN QUIGLEY
Professor of international law at Ohio State University, Quigley said today: “Contrary to what many are claiming, including the New York Times in a front-page article on the Gaza flotilla, the Mavi Marmara, the vessel on which deaths occurred, is not Turkish-flagged. Although formerly Turkish-flagged, the Mavi Marmara was Comoros-flagged by the time of last week’s incident. The point may be of some significance, because Comoros, unlike Turkey, is a party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The Court has jurisdiction over war crimes committed on vessels registered in a state that is party to the Rome Statute.”

FRANCIS BOYLE
Professor of international law at the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign, Boyle said today: “The highest level officials of the Israeli government who ordered the attack upon the Mavi Marmara can be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court: Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Barak, Foreign Minister Lieberman, General Ashkenazi and the rest of the Israeli council of seven ministers who ordered this criminal attack. Furthermore, under the ICC’s Rome Statute any state party has the power to demand that these Israeli governmental officials be prosecuted.”
Boyle’s books include “Tackling America’s Toughest Questions.” See: “Is the Israeli Blockade of Gaza Against the Law?”

Background:The Independent (UK): “The Hijacking of the Truth: Film Evidence ‘Destroyed’: Protesters say Israel had an assassination list. Israel says soldiers fired only in self-defence. So what really happened on 31 May?”

The Guardian (UK): “Gaza Flotilla Activists Were Shot in Head at Close Range: Nine Turkish men on board Mavi Marmara were shot a total of 30 times, autopsy results reveal”

For more information, contact at the Institute for Public Accuracy:
Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020; or David Zupan, (541) 484-9167